The Washington critic., 1887-09-26
WASHINGTON, SEPT. &c. 1887.

tiiut ulls UtlCIsOH lfhNlh anu Il ltAlutul
Cleveland will not meet at the Atlanta
Exposition. Consequently the peace
Of society and the stability of our In
stitutions will not be endangered by
their shaking hands with one another.
Not long ago the Troy Times took
us TO task, with much ability and at
considerable length, for remarking
that the country would probably sur.
vive II the individuals mentioned
should come together and exchange
social greetings Our esteemed con.
temporary, while agreeing with us
that the country might outlive the
catastrophe, intima,ed at the same time
that 1t would be an exceedingly i'm.
proper and indiscreet thing for Mr..
Cleveland to give Mr.. Davis familiar
recognition. In other words, we were
given TO understand that mere act of
civility on the Presidents part-such
as one gentleman Is bound to extend to
another-would be interpreted in Ger.
tain quarters, II not throughout the
entire North, as being almost equiva.
lent to an acknowledgment of the
Southern Confederacy.
Why 1t should be so we admit our
utter Inability to comprehend. With
the lapse Of years spirit of fraternity
between the sections more sincere and
deeper than ever existed before Is rap
Idly obtaining. Ten years ago the
Republican occupant Of the Presiden.
tial chair called an ex.ofllcer of the
Confederate army to seat In his Cabi-
net. To-day Confederate and Federal
veterans are smoking the pipe of
peace before common campfire.
We do not forget that the Union was
once assailed, but we have made amica-
BILE terms with Its assailants. We can
never learn to look upon disloyalty as
a virtue, but We take pride and pleas
ure in the knowledge that 1t is not an
unpardonable and ineradlcable sin.
God be thanked the Union Is all the
better of In elements of strength for
the bold and rebelllous attempt that
was made to disrupt 1t.
Why then, after taking the whole
South into our kindly and forgiving
embraces, should We persist in an un.
alterable hatred Of the one man, who
no more traitor than his associates,
and less a statesman and soldier than
many of them, had the mischance of
holding the highest Office In their gift
Is it essential In an exemplary, admoni
tory, or any other sense, TO keep this
man conspicuously posed before the
country as so much the incarnation of
treason that Presidents who appoint his
fellowtraitors TO high positions of
trust, shall dare 70 bid him good morn.
Ing only at the risk of their personal
regulations and political fortunes
We think not.
But happily the country is not des-
tined 10 be torn up on the question just
now.
CITIZEN GEORGE FRANcIs TRAIN
spoke at Webster Hall, New York, last
evening, In behalf of the condemned
Anarchists, and announced that he
should continue to advocate their
cause every night until the day ap.
pointed for their execution. 1t was
the first time that he had appeared be-
fore public audience or had much of
anything to say to anybody, excepting
the little children In Madison Square,
for many years, and 1t is to be feared
his powers of speech have not i'm.
proved In the interval. His sympa-
thies are as warm and vigorous as ever,
but he is little lame In his logic.
THERR is considerable anxiety In po.
litical circles to know the exact contents
OF the letter which the President Is said
to have written to Superintendent Fox
Of the Philadelphia Mint, just before
the meeting of the Democratic State
Convention of Pennsylvania at Allen
town. The fact that the three men
Mr.. Cleveland, Mr.. Fox and Mr.. Ran
dall-who can state with definiteness
declined to dlvulge the secret only In
tensihes the public curiosity. Possibly
Mr.. Randall might be induced to make
succinct statement. rather than re-
main In the position of fathering mere
rumor.
EVEN The Cincinnati Commercial. Ga.
zstte, which has so little to say In favor
of the National Capital, Is constrained
to admit that "there is some,hIng--in,
deed, good deal-:to show for tn,
money that was expended here under hi
Governor Shepherd's) management
shepherd came high" 1t continues
"but the mark he made In Washington
Is one that Is pleasant In the sight o
the people, and It Ia an injustice Il
refer to Shepherd along with Tweed,
as was lately done by the New Yorl
Commercial AddctiSer Injustice, In
deed 1t were the rankest Of al
injustice, If 1t were not so contrary t
truth and common sense.
THERE Is altogether too much law
lessness In the District and Immediately
surrounding country, two more trag
edies, one on Saturday afternoon auC
the other Saturday night, having to b.
added TO an already long and san
culinary list Whisky appears to hav
been at the bottom of both cases
and 1t is highly probable that IL
neither could the authorities hav
prevented the bloody elimination
The record is becoming alarm
ingly large. however, and some rem
edy, which nor? seems to be lack
ing, will have to be devised In the in
terest Of the public safety. The Dis